What is the NEAPWA Awards Program?

The Nebraska Chapter of APWA Awards Program was established to recognize outstanding public works employees, individual, groups, and projects, representing the Best achievements in the public works profession in the State of Nebraska.

The Nebraska Chapter of APWA Awards Program was established to recognize outstanding public works employees, individual, groups, and projects, representing the Best achievements in the public works profession in the State of Nebraska.

(eligible State award winners will be forwarded on to the national level for further consideration)

AWARD DESCRIPTIONS

PROJECT OF THE YEAR

For project nominations, include detailed information on the project results, any unique aspects of the project, budget information and funding sources, grants, partnerships, schedule data, and high resolution photos. Attachments such as photos, charts, graphics, are strongly encouraged.

The awards are divided in to categories in line with the equivalent of the National and costs ranges to accommodate the makeup of the State of Nebraska. These awards are intended to recognize the managing agency, the consultant/ architect/ engineer, and the contractor who, working together, completed the nominated public works projects.

The Project of the Year Award categories (have equivalent National Award) include:

Project of the Year Awards are further divided into these costs categories:

Under $2,500,000

Over $2,500,000

To be eligible for nomination, a project must have been ”substantially completed” and available for public and/ or agency use within two calendar years prior to nomination. If a project has multiple phases or segment, then “substantially completed” will be construed as that point when the final phase or segment is 90% completed and available for public and/ or agency use.

Criteria to be used in the selection process include:

Use of good construction management techniques and completion of the project on schedule;

Safety performance and demonstrated awareness of the need for a good overall safety program during construction;

Community relations as evidence by efforts to minimize public inconvenience due to construction, safety precautions to protect public lives and property, provision of observation areas, guided tours, or other means of improving relations between the agency and the public;

Demonstrated awareness for the need to protect the environment during the project this includes any special considerations given to particular environmental concerns raised during the course of the project;

Unusual accomplishments under adverse conditions including, but not limited to age or condition of the facility, adverse weather, soil or other site conditions over which there in no control;

Additional conditions deemed of importance to the public works agency such as exceptional efforts to maintain quality control and, if value engineering is used, construction innovations as evidenced by time and/ or money-saving techniques developed and/. Or successfully utilities.

Use of sustainable infrastructure rating system or the equivalent such as the Envision rating system to ensure the project is sustainable.

Award winners will be forwarded onto National for National Award consideration. Only one award will be transmitted on behalf of the State Chapter, should more than one submittal be submitted for each of these categories.

For submittal, one is to the follow the APWA National Categories, Divisions and Award Guidelines. See APWA www.apwa.net Awards Criteria and Forms for additional information.

LEADER OF THE YEAR (Nebraska Chapter Award Only)

For individual nominations, describe the reason why the nominee should be considered. Include accomplishments, recommendations, results of a specific action(s) or project(s), or any information to help the Awards Committee make their decision. Candidates must be active members of APWA for five consecutive years as of the award deadline. Nominees maybe be employed by the public or private sector, however much of their career service must be in the public works field. Candidates must have made significant contribution in the field of public works.

The criteria used in the selection process include:

Profession: Significant contributions to the advancement of the various areas of public works.

Leadership: Outstanding leadership and vision evidenced by employing progressive management techniques in the area of public works

Innovation: Employment of new and innovative ideas and technology in the area of public works

Agency Service: Implementation of effective methods to optimize areas of public works

Customer Service: Maintenance of a high degree of satisfaction among customers and other stakeholders.

Community Service: Promotion of the various areas of public works within one’s agency or community

Sustainability: Support the advancement of sustainable contribution in public works.

YOUNG PUBLIC WORKS LEADER OF THE YEAR (Nebraska Chapter Only)

Recognizes and encourages young APWA members who have demonstrated an initial commitment to the profession and the Association, and show potential for future growth within the Association.

This award is to recognize and encourage young APWA members who have demonstrated an initial commitment to the profession and the chapter and show potential for future growth within the chapter. The award promotes the concept that length of career of the nominee does not necessarily indicate his/her leadership abilities or potential for service. Candidates must be active members of APWA for at least one year and not exceed 35 years of age as of the award deadline. Please include candidate’s birth date in nomination materials. The candidates must have demonstrated an ability and eagerness to act at the chapter level by serving on committees, as an officer, heading projects, or contributing in general to the well-being of the chapter.

Nominees maybe be employed by the public or private sector, however much of their career service must be in the public works field. Candidates must have made significant contribution in the field of public works.

The candidate should have also accomplished one or more of the following:

Contributed in some significant manner to his/her public agency or company by implementing new ideas, overcoming problems, controlling costs, etc.;

Helped to advance the cause of the public works profession either with leadership commitments to significant community projects or as an advocate for public works issues at the legislative level in local, state, or federal governments; and/or

Demonstrated an ongoing commitment to continuing education in the public works field (i.e., related educational degree(s), attendance at workshops, seminars, or CEU credits, etc.).

SERVICE AWARDS (Nebraska Chapter Only)

The Nebraska Chapter will recognize those individuals for Life Member (more than 30 + years), 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 years of service through recognition at the Chapter’s Annual Fall Banquet.

Note: There are other awards that are given at the national level, but not within the Nebraska Chapter. Many of these are for individual service to APWA at the national level. Other national awards include recognition for Sustainability Practice, Excellence in Snow and Ice Control, Exceptional Performance, Exemplary Service to Public Works, as well as, several other specialized leaders of the year awards and program areas. Individual agencies may submit for these various awards independent of the Nebraska Chapter. For a Nebraska Chapter Endorsement for a National Award nomination, please contact the Chapter Awards Committee ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) well in advance of the national submittal deadline of March 2020 for this nomination endorsement.